


The Unplanned Kiss

by Small_Hobbit



Series: Twelve Further Days of Christmas [12]
Category: Original Work
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-06
Updated: 2016-01-06
Packaged: 2018-05-12 06:01:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 524
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5655058
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Small_Hobbit/pseuds/Small_Hobbit
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mark has gone to a party, primarily hoping to see Gareth, but things do not go as he expected.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Unplanned Kiss

**Author's Note:**

  * For [darkmoore](https://archiveofourown.org/users/darkmoore/gifts).



Mark wasn’t particularly enjoying himself. He’d been invited along to the Twelfth Night party by Declan who was more a friend of a friend than anything else; they shared a number of friends but Mark didn’t know him particularly well. He wouldn’t have gone at all, but he had hopes of seeing Gareth; they’d had coffee together a couple of lunchtimes before Christmas and Gareth had mentioned continuing to meet in the New Year.

Gareth was at the party; he was over six foot and his blonde head stood out amongst the group of people gathered chatting around him. Mark was fairly sure Gareth had seen him, they were the same height, but other than a vague nod of the head Gareth had given no acknowledgement of Mark’s presence. He decided he would aim to speak to Gareth later, when the throng around him had abated.

Declan waved him over to join his friends and started to make introductions, “This is Sam, Ben, who you probably have already met, Amy, Lucy ...”

Mark laughed and said, “I’ve met Ben and Emma,” he smiled at a pretty dark-haired girl, “and I’m delighted to meet the rest of you, but don’t bother with all the names, I’ll pick them up as we go along.”

The conversation was light-hearted, ranging from the latest film releases to various horrors of going back to parents for the holidays, including the appearance of the childhood duvet covers, and Mark joined in happily. After a while he found himself chatting to Ben about forthcoming plays and arranging to go to some performances together. Then the music was turned up and he found himself being dragged onto the dance floor by Emma.

They danced together until the DJ began to play slower songs, when by mutual agreement they left the dance floor to the smooching couples. Mark told Emma he was going to head home, citing work the following morning and she departed to find her flatmate.

He went to collect his coat, which was hanging in a dark corridor, and in the process noticed a sprig of mistletoe hanging from the ceiling. At the same time he saw Gareth coming towards him. Mark took a deep breath and put his arms on Gareth’s shoulders, pulling him close. He was surprised there was no resistance, so he leaned in and kissed him, receiving a kiss in return.

They walked together to the doorway, where Mark realised it wasn’t Gareth, but Ben, who was equally tall and fair. He felt dreadful; Ben had obviously realised who he was and although presumably he hadn’t expected the kiss, he hadn’t objected. Mark hurriedly tried to decide what to say, he didn’t want to hurt the other man, they had got on really well and, on reflection, it was possible Mark had been inadvertently sending out signals of interest.

He saw Gareth as they entered the main room. At the same moment Gareth must have seen him, because he said, in a louder voice than was necessary, “Coffee, tomorrow lunchtime, Archie?”

Mark looked straight at Gareth, gave him a small wave of acknowledgement, turned and kissed Ben.


End file.
